by Cyndi Raye
Jon placed an arm across his shoulder. “Don’t beat yourself up, Jake. She is in good hands.”
Jake slammed his fist into the wall and pulled back when he realized it was made of some kind of steel. This was no ordinary boat. He shook out his fist. “What’s this thing made of?”
“Some kind of bullet proof material,” Jon joked.
“Everyone in place,” Jake heard as Josh came through the door and turned on the large monitor. They stood behind Josh as he watched the screen and talked into a microphone at the same time. “Give them time to pull up to the dock. No one makes a move until I call it out.”
The room became still. Jake stared at the screen as a pink Impala made its way to the empty parking spot in front of the entrance to the docks. Josh turned on another screen and the yacht came in to full view. Two large men came out and stood on the deck, overlooking the docks. They dressed like bouncers in a nightclub and looked dangerous.
Jake eyed them both from head to toe. He may be able to take them both out. Or at least one while Jon nabbed the other if needed. Even though there were agents hiding everywhere, Jake’s thought was to take those out who presented danger to his love. He wouldn’t let anyone near her if he could help it.
His head began to pound but he willed his mind to stop the pain. She needed him. Josh typed on the computer keys and a close up of the driver came in to view. Jesse Storm, his hands on the wheel, stared right at them through the computer camera. It looked as if he tried to keep composed. A tiny dribble of sweat formed at his brow. Just as Jake was about to turn away, he noticed how Jesse blinked three times in a row.
“Three minutes until show time,” Josh spoke into the mic. He moved the camera to the back seat and closed in on the blonde haired man. Jake became furious when he noticed how the dude’s arm was pushing against Maggie’s seat. His hand tapped on the back of her seat and he glared at the head rest with such animosity, Jake pointed to the monitor.
He knew he had to keep his eye on this man no matter what went down. “What’s going on with him?”
“That’s Jerry. Jesse and Maggie have been calling him Jerk. He’s the one we want. His Dad is one of the most protected drug dealers in Baltimore. He sent Jerry on this deal to prove himself because he knows the kids nothing but an addict and a trouble maker, wants him to get off the drugs and prove himself. But he’ll protect him with everything he’s got. We want Jerry as leverage to find out who protects the old man from inside. We think the kid can lead us to the inside person.”
“I couldn’t care less what goes on with them, keep Maggie out of any chaos.” Jake glared at the monitor screen as Josh closed in on Maggie.
“See, she’s fine, Jake. Calm down.”
Jake’s heart thumped. His pulse pounded and his throat went dry. Maggie. “Baby.” He felt Jon’s arm around his shoulder. “She’s beautiful.” He watched as her eyes darted back and forth, looking for the help waiting there for them. He wondered if she plotted a scene in her next romance and smiled at the thought.
Maybe he’d take her on another road trip. This time whisk her off to a remote island where it would be the two of them for days on end without a soul in sight. He watched as the close up brought her in even closer yet and his gut wrenched at the thought of not being able to kiss those lips. He grinned at the game they played before all of this happened. No kisses until she said yes. Now he didn’t care, all he wanted was to hold her warm body in his arms.
Jake bent down towards the screen. He reached out and placed his finger on the screen and noticed a tiny bruise at the corner of her mouth. He looked lower to see large red streaks across her neck. Maggie’s eyes, dark and scared looked right into the camera. She didn’t know the lens focused on her. To anyone else, she looked strong, brave and capable of the job ahead, but all he saw was the woman he loved, the one who was in the midst of danger and who’s scared eyes darted back and forth, desperate to find a way out of the mess.
“Sonofabitch! I thought you said she was safe with Jesse Storm!”
“Whoa, Jake! This is the first I noticed. I know Jesse got in a scuttle with Jerry and had to break his nose. I’m guessing this is why.” Josh pointed to Maggie’s neck. The anger in his voice was apparent. “I’m sorry Jake.”
“Don’t stop me from helping her, that’s all I have to say.”
“Jake, stay here. Watch this screen and let it go down the way it’s supposed to. I swear if anyone gets close to her, I’ll have my men on them. I will appoint a few men for the task.” He didn’t wait for Jake to answer, but picked up another gadget that he spoke into.
Jake raked his hand through dark hair. “I’ve about had enough of this secret agent crap!” He began to pace back and forth. “How long?”
“One minute. Stay calm Jake, please.”
It seemed like forever. Then he heard the countdown and went back to the screen where Josh had the screen back to normal, monitoring the area right outside. All Jake wanted to do was to step out through the door and pull Maggie out of the line of danger. He was so close and yet he had to let it play through.
“Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two and there they go.” Jerry swung his leg over the top of the car door and jumped to the ground. He turned and spoke a few words to Jesse and made his way to the fancy yacht. Jake didn’t realize sweat trickled down the side of his own face.
Jesse spoke into his watch. So that’s how they communicated. He remembered Josh did the same thing once. Typical agent gadgets at work. “It’s on. As soon as Jerry turns to wave me on, the two goons may come down to get Maggie. I need you to move before their feet leave the last step.”
Josh spoke into his own watch. Jake rolled his eyes. It was a three ring circus with Sherlock Homes and their gadgets everywhere. “Ten-four. Make sure she’s clear.”
Jake heard her voice in the background. Soft, scared and his heart filled with love. “Let’s get this over with. There’s someone I want to kiss.” The corner of his mouth tilted upwards. Then he let out a loud, hardy laugh.
“Jake?” Jon asked, amused.
“She said yes. She’ll marry me!”
“What?”
“It’s a long story. I’ll explain later. Let’s get her out of there.”
Chapter 11
Maggie’s nerves were tipping the scale. She was about to throw up. The two goons on deck looked more like gangsters in a scene from a movie. She swiped at a drop of sweat that poured down the side of her face.
“What do we do now, Jesse?” she asked.
“Wait. Don’t get impatient. I promise I’ll move you out of the line of fire.”
Maggie hoped so. If he didn’t, she would run like the devil chased her because she planned to find the love of her life and kiss him so thorough he would never want to be without her. It was the only thing she had on her mind. Not the thugs up ahead or the drug bust, but the man of her dreams, who waiting for her somewhere close by. She could feel him here and began to search the area to perhaps get an idea of where he may be. She wanted Jake so bad.
“Okay Maggie. Here’s what I want you to do. We’re going to get out of the car and stand side by side. When I give you the signal, I want you to slide to the ground and roll under the car. I’ll make sure you are out of view.”
Maggie looked at Jesse. “Roll under the car? That’s how I’ll be saved? You are kidding me? What if these guys start to shoot? How is this car going to save me from flying bullets?” Now her adrenaline began to kick in. Fear began to take over, seeping up from the bottom of her toes and closing in on her. She couldn’t breathe.
Jesse Storm swore. “Don’t argue, do what I tell you. When I give the signal all hell will break loose and I want you under the car. Let’s go.” He nodded towards the four men on the deck of the yacht. The drug dealer, a small, dark haired man, stood beside Jerry and pointed towards the Impala.
Jesse opened the driver’s side door and got out. He held out his hand and Maggie reached over the console
and let him pull her out. Her hand shook as she crawled over the seat to go out the same door. She needed to stay right near him so she could slip under the car he told her.
“It’s okay, stay calm,” he said again.
“Easy for you to say. I’ll bet you’ve done this stuff a million times.”
“No, not a million. This is the first bust I’ll be involved in.”
Maggie’s eyes widened. She twisted her head to look at this man who reassured her everything would go smooth. She was about to get all indignant when he gave her a push. “Move, now!”
Maggie dropped to the ground in a flash, then flattened herself out and rolled under the car. It happened to be easier than she realized. Jesse’s booted foot nudged her body.
She heard someone yell from the boat. Then it started. she heard a helicopter in the distance as feet shuffled all around her and the lone shot that started a hailstorm of gunshot fire. Maggie trembled. This would not end well, she felt it in her whole being.
She also was not going to lie here and be a target for some gun toting criminal to shoot up! Maggie scooted on her belly towards the side of the car. She wanted to look out to see if she could get a clear view and make a run for it. There were buildings and store fronts all around the docks and she contemplated making a run for one of them. She couldn’t see Jesse anywhere close by.
Then what she saw caused her to bite down on her bottom lip so hard she drew blood. Beside the yacht was another ship close to the same size. Out of nowhere, two men, side by side, dropped to the ground from the boat’s deck and began to walk into the battle. Jake and his twin brother Jon stormed the ground, a long rifle in front of them, their hands at the ready in case they needed to shoot.
It was like a scene from a movie and in her mind she played the song in the background, the one where they sing, “Here comes my hero!” Jake looked so hot and she wanted to scoot out from under the car and run to him but knew there were still bullets flying around.
He could get hurt or killed. She shoved a fist in her mouth so she didn’t bite on her lip again. She needed to save them for when she kissed him so hard. The closer the men got, the harder it was to stay put. When the sound of bullets ceased, she rolled out from under the car and ran into his arms.
Jake shoved the rifle towards his brother and lifted her up in to his arms. Voices began to shout around them but all they cared about was each other. Tears of relief and joy streamed down her face and when she looked into his beautiful eyes she saw the same reflected there.
“Oh Jake. I love you. I’m so glad to see you.”
“Baby.” He choked on his own voice. Maggie could hear the tenderness and emotion rock him. Her love, the man of her dreams. The realization of what they went through in the last twenty four hours began to take its toll on her physical and mental status. She began to weep in his arms.
Jake picked her up and held her close. She wrapped her legs around him. They stood there in the middle of all the commotion, like two long lost lovers who discovered each other for the first time. His face nuzzled her neck and then he lifted his mouth to hers, so close she could feel his breath. She nodded her head and began to shower him with kisses and felt the rumble in his chest as he kissed her back, hard. Maggie couldn’t get enough of him. His strength began to seep into her own body. The strong arms that held her tossed those wrecked emotions aside.
He dropped soft kisses on her neck as she titled her head back. “I’ll kill the man who put these marks on you.” She almost forgot how that creep choked her at one point. Now the reminder began to fill her up inside with emotional turmoil. Her tears dried up as the anger began to take over. Her whole body stiffened. Jake set her back down and titled his head, a questionable look on his face.
“Where is the little drug dealing creep?” Maggie twisted her head around, to find the bad guys lined up in a row, their arms tied behind their backs. Shackles held their legs together so all they could do was walk in a slow shuffle towards the van that would take them to prison.
Armed agents stood beside the criminals. Maggie knew Jake was behind her as she walked towards Jerry but he didn’t try to stop her. She was glad, she needed to have her say.
Her steps stilled when she saw Jerry. Jesse was right behind him, his feet shackled and his hands tightened with a plastic strap they used for hand cuffs behind his back. Why was Jesse going to jail? He was undercover, he wouldn’t need to go there, unless he was trying to protect his cover. He turned out not to be too bad of a guy and he did protect her from Jerk.
She faced the two. “I’m not sure why I got to be so lucky to be kidnapped by the two of you but thank you Jesse, for keeping me as safe as you did. Now you Jerk, yes, that’s what you are, can rot in prison for all I care. You’re a brute and you deserve to have the living daylights kicked out of you.”
She heard Jerk growl and then his spit came flying towards her. Jake stepped in front of her and his muscular arm flew through the air and a fist landed in the center of Jerry’s face. The line of criminals teetered. The shuffle of feet closed in as some of the agents, armed with guns, crowded around Jake.
Josh stepped up. “Back off,” he ordered to his men. The older man nodded to the guards as they shuffled the men in to the van as quick as they could before Jake blew up again. Josh seemed to know his temper, Maggie thought, her love for him growing stronger each moment they stood there.
“That’s a little taste of what you’ll get if you ever get out of prison and get near my soon to be wife!” Jake told him, his voice low and yet it reverberated through the chaos. Maggie could feel his muscles clench and gyrate with anger.
Maggie beamed. “You’re soon to be wife?” she asked. “What makes you think so?” She curled her arms around his back and snuggled her face into his shirt. He turned and cupped her face in his hands.
“Oh no, Maggie McCoy. You don’t get away with any refusal this time. I heard you when you were in the car. I heard you loud and clear tell him you couldn’t wait to and I quote, Let’s get this over with, there’s someone I want to kiss!”
She grinned. “I did say those words, didn’t I?”
“Yes.” His soft kiss took her breath away. They stood in the middle of the chaos again as the van began to drive off and the agents disappeared on the yacht to look for the drugs.
“It feels so glorious to be back in your arms, Jake Hatfield.”
Jake looked at her, long and hard, his emotions on his sleeve. He was such a man’s man, big and strong with muscles that could hurt someone and yet could wrap her in an embrace that was so gentle. “When I found out you were with those men, I wasn’t sure if I could go on. But I knew I would move every mountain on this earth to find you baby.”
She smiled and rubbed her hands over his muscles. “With these arms, I can believe it.”
Jake didn’t smile or grin or laugh at her joke. His face was so serious it scared Maggie. “Jake?” Concern for him began to creep up. “Are you all right?”
He slid his arms from around her and took a step back. What in the world, she wondered. What was wrong with him? They were together and all she wanted was to be wrapped in his arms. Why did he back off now?
Jake took her hand in his, then dropped to one knee. He squeezed his eye closed for a moment and when he opened them, the love and emotions were there for her to see as clear as the brightness of the daylight. “Maggie, I’ve been so afraid to take this next step.”
Maggie wanted to touch him, to place her hand over his mouth to still the emotions that rocked his soul. But she stood there, quiet, because he needed this.
His chest rose. “I can give you any material possession you ever dreamed of. I’m not sure if you realize how large my company is or how much money I have. Somehow I doubt you even care. I know that isn’t what you want from me. I’ve held back so long because of my fears of losing you.”
She reached up and touched his face. “I love you Jake. It doesn’t matter. We can go on like we were. I’m happ
y. After what happened today, all I want is your love.”
“But it’s not all I want any more. I realized how much I would lose if you didn’t return to me. I was a fool all along, afraid if I married you then you would die like my Mother did. It doesn’t even make sense now that I say it aloud. I’m sorry and ashamed and I’m not going to ever let you go. I’ve talked myself in to believing we would see what tomorrow brings. That’s fools talk. All I want from you now is to show you where tomorrow leads, with your hand in mine, as your husband and protector.”
Tears flowed down Maggie’s cheeks. “Are you asking me to marry you?”
“Yes. Will you, Maggie? Will you marry me and do the honor of becoming my wife?”
Maggie dropped to her knees and touched his lips with her own. She wrapped her arms around his in the middle of the parking lot as the chaos continued around them. Agents walked by, shaking their heads but Maggie didn’t care, she didn’t see them. All she saw was her Jake, the man who made all her dreams come true spill his soul to her in the middle of a drug bust.
